The Role of Meditation in a High Profile Cancer Remission – The Ian Gawler case

By Grace Gawler

The following extracts from my memoirs Grace, Grit and Gratitude (self-published Oct 2008) aims to set right the long held concept that meditation and a vegan diet played a major role in Ian Gawler’s cancer cure. ( See Google Books for free page downloads)

For many years I have been trying somewhat unsuccessfully to correct published accounts of our story, however the true story as revealed, may hold many more possibilities, inspiration and research options for those going through the cancer experience.

To clarify, Ian first saw Ainslie Meares 12 December 1975 – when a bony metastasis was diagnosed in his right groin. Ian spent 6 weeks under Meares meditation directives – deteriorating significantly during that time; so much so that we abandoned his groups and his technique; choosing to explore other options.

There has been much confusion about this point because in 1978 Meares erroneously reported Ian’s medical history in the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA), distorting the timeline and making it appear that Ian had attended his sessions when his cancer was widespread.

Many may have seen the now famous pictures first published in ‘You Can Conquer Cancer.’ These are not pictures taken when Ian first saw Meares (Dec 1975) but were taken July 1977 – 19 months after he first saw Meares. At that time Ian was quite well – but was carrying an enormous tumour load.
Meditation and diet had not impacted the cancer growth – but perhaps there was a silent healer within; unknown to us until Ian’s remission June 30 1978. More about that later.

Ian was never on a vegan diet for the 22 years I was his wife and cook.
In brief Meares’ error has provided the foundation for the volumes of misreporting of Ian Gawler’s remission. Thus over 3o years a small myth became a snowball until in 2008 another MJA article by Dr Ruth Gawler and Prof Jelinek from the Gawler Foundation, inverted the timeline more to make it seem that meditation and a vegan diet caused his remission.

It is very important that cancer patients and doctors be given the truth in light of the groundswell of patients turning away from mainstream treatment and choosing to go on ‘extreme diets’ or getting stressed trying to meditate their cancer away. I advise practicing on a wart or mole first.

Have a healthy diet by all means, meditate if that appeals but please don’t abandon conventional cancer medicine. Become educated and learn about the nature of cancer and only trust evidence based cancer cure claims. Recognize that many false reports or claims are quite sophisticated and most people can’t discern. Our case – the myth spreading in the media supported by 2 incorrect articles about it in the MJa -illustrate that authentic cancer claims are illusive.